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NORWALK, Conn. — Tanisha Williams, a native of Jamaica, began collecting recipes at 9 and started a side business as a personal chef at 19. She dubbed that business the Fragrant Basil Personal Chef Service.

And now she runs
Fragrant Basil Juice Cafe
at 11 Main St. in Norwalk, an organic and gluten-free restaurant that opened at its current location in June.

With a name like Fragrant Basil Juice Cafe, you might gather that there is an abundance of drink and smoothie offerings at the juice bar.

“That name came out of an actual dream I was having, and I woke up to the smell of basil in the house. And I decided that Fragrant Basil would be the name of my personal chef-ing business, but when I ended that, I decided to keep it for the restaurant itself,” Williams said.

She started out in accounting and had a stint in insurance sales, but had no taste for those businesses.

“There was just no love. What I really loved to do was cook,” she said. “Before you know it, I was doing family dinners and family parties.”

She has worked with clients with varying diets and food allergies for more than two decades.

Here are six can’t-miss items off the menu at the Fragrant Basil Juice Cafe:

Immune-boosting shots (1 or 2 ounces)

Options include wheat grass, coconut garlic and ginger shots. “It would be a concentrated form of those things,” Williams said, “and you down it as you would at a liquor bar.”

Stuffed omelette with sriracha hash

One of the favorite breakfast items on the menu is this hearty combo of eggs stuffed with a cheese blend, mixed baby greens, bell peppers, herbs and mushrooms. It is drizzled with ahi sauce and sriracha sauce, comes with sweet or russet potato hash and a side of multigrain toast. “People love the fact that it’s filling, but also tasty,” Williams said. “If someone comes in and they are hungry, I would tell them to go for a stuffed omelette with sriracha.”

Avocado toast

“This one is another big seller,” Williams said. And why not? Toasted multigrain slices are topped with avocado, capers and extra-virgin olive oil. “If you have one [order], you may want to feel like you want one or two more.”

Kale salad

Marinated in a “secret” dressing (all dressings are made in-house), this can be topped with bell peppers or cucumber kimchi, avocado and marinated red onions. For a protein boost, add basil-poached chicken.